1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an applique article for vehicles; and, more particularly, to an applique article for the xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d pillar or other surface of a vehicle which is composed of integrally bonded cosmetic and functional materials.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Appliques are decorative members which are fastened to a vehicle surface to add styling and to functionally cover unsightly portions of the vehicle. For example, it has become conventional practice to provide appliques on the external surfaces of xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d pillars of a vehicle. A pillar is a structural member provided to support the structure of a vehicle. In an automobile, the forward pillar is conventionally designated as the xe2x80x9cAxe2x80x9d pillar, the center pillar as the xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d pillar and the rear pillar as the xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d pillar. The xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d pillar is normally provided between the front and rear side windows of the vehicle.
Because of the high visibility of the xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d pillar area, appliques are commonly used to provide an aesthetically pleasing surface on the pillar. Such an applique is used, for example, to cover manufacturing imperfections or the like and is commonly finished in cooperating or matching vehicle colors to provide a desirable aesthetic appearance.
Current applique articles for the xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d pillars of automobiles typically include various sealing members such as rubber seals, a glassrun channel and a cut-line seal that are mechanically fastened to the xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d pillar applique. The applique itself is usually a metal-coated trim or a plastic trim that is mechanically attached to the metal base forming the pillar.
A disadvantage of such prior constructions is that the applique article employs multiple components and requires plural steps to assemble the full applique and sealing members which increases assembly time and manufacturing costs. In addition, overall costs are further increased by the necessity of maintaining an inventory of the component parts.
The present invention provides an applique article for a xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d pillar or other surface of an automobile or other vehicle that is composed of integrally bonded materials that meet the requirements of xe2x80x9cBxe2x80x9d pillar appliques with respect to both function and appearance; and to a method for manufacturing an applique article that can be finished out of a mold, thus eliminating extra assembly steps and the need to maintain a component part inventory as is typically required in the prior art.
An integrally molded applique article according to the present invention comprises a thermoplastic base portion and an elastomer or thermoplastic elastomer functional sealing lip portion, wherein the base portion and the functional sealing lip portion are bonded together in a mold during a process of manufacturing the article.
According to preferred embodiments of the invention, the base portion, the functional sealing lip portion and a decorative covering portion are integrally bonded in a mold during a process of manufacturing the article to provide a finished applique article out of the mold that can be directly affixed to a vehicle. Alternatively, the decorative covering portion can be applied in a post-molding step to provide the finished applique article.
According to the present invention, the decorative covering portion may be a film, painted or integrally colored, or laminated thermoplastic that will bond to the functional sealing lip portion and/or to the thermoplastic base portion during the molding process. Alternatively, the covering portion can comprise an appropriate in-mold coating applied to a surface of the article during the molding process, or a painted-on or otherwise applied coating or film applied in a post-molding step. The functional sealing lip portion preferably comprises an elastomer or a thermoplastic elastomer that is bondable to the decorative covering portion and/or to the thermoplastic base portion, and that has sufficient flexibility to provide an effective sealing function. The thermoplastic base portion comprises a relatively rigid bar-shaped member which is bondable to the functional sealing lip portion and/or to the decorative film portion.
Exemplary of materials usable for the decorative film covering portion include REXHAM polyvinylidene difluoride and DORRIE polyvinyl fluoride. The functional sealing lip portion can, for example, be composed of SANTOPRENE, SUNPRENE, or ALCRYN thermoplastic elastomers, or EPDM or SBR thermoset rubbers. The thermoplastic base portion can be formed of polypropylene, thermoplastic olefin, polyurethane, styrenic and other suitable materials.
According to a further aspect, the present invention comprises a method for manufacturing an integrally molded applique article for a vehicle which comprises the steps of bonding at least a thermoplastic base portion and a functional sealing lip portion together in a mold during a molding process, and applying a decorative covering portion to provide a finished applique article. The decorative covering portion can be applied either in the mold during the molding process or externally of the mold in a post-molding step.
According to one presently preferred embodiment of the invention, the thermoplastic base portion or the functional sealing lip portion is molded as a separate component and used as an insert in a mold which has a decorative film covering portion placed in its designated area. The material for the other portion is then injected into the mold to bond the three portions together to provide a finished product out of the mold.
As an alternative embodiment, the covering portion can comprise an in-mold coating applied during the molding process or a painted or coated-on covering or a post-applied film applied to the article in a post-molding step.
Yet further, the applique article of the invention can be molded by either a sequential or a co-injection process which eliminates the need for separate insert molding.
Further advantages and specific features of the present invention will become apparent hereinafter in conjunction with the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment.